Philosophy & Religious Studies
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Liberal Studies Program
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Contact Information
David Simmons
Department Chair
Email: simmonsd@uww.edu
David Reinhart
Master Advisor & Liberal Studies Coorindator
Email: reinhard@uww.edu
Information For Current UWW Students
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Current UW-Whitewater students who are considering declaring a Liberal Studies Major after being Undeclared
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Current UW-Whitewater students who are considering changing their major to Liberal Studies from another major
Step 1: Do your research.
1A) Understand what Liberal Studies is- Liberal Studies is an interdisciplinary approach to education. A degree in liberal studies will give you the chance to take courses in a variety of disciplines, including science, math, history, english, philosophy, and religious studies. Liberal Studies can prepare you for a variety of careers.
1B) Choose which of the 4 Liberal Studies Degree options would be best for you-
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Bachelor's of Arts with a minor (36 units required) - This degree requires that you complete two semesters of a foreign language (this can be waived if you completed two years or more of the same foreign language in high school and graduated from high school before 2012). This degree also requires that you complete a minor that is approved by the College of Letters and Sciences.
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Bachelor's of Arts without a minor (54 units required) - This degree requires that you complete two semesters of a foreign language (this can be waived if you completed two years or more of the same foreign language in high school and graduated from high school before 2012). This degree option also requires that you choose a "Focus Area" in consultation with your advisor.
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Bachelor's of Science with a minor (36 units required) - This degree requires that you complete two lab sciences, plus 5 units of math (above MATH 141) or 2 x 3 unit courses in math, statistics, or computer science.. This degree also requires that you complete a minor that is approved by the College of Letters and Sciences.
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Bachelor's of Science without a minor (54 units required) - This degree requires that you complete two lab sciences, plus 5 units of math (above MATH 141) or 2 x 3 unit courses in math, statistics, or computer science. This degree option also requires that you choose a "Focus Area" in consultation with your advisor.
1C) Review the specific requirements for each of these major options- This information is available through the links listed on the College of Letters & Sciences "Majors & Minors" webpage.
1D) Request a "What-If AAR"- Email the Liberal Studies Coordinator with your name and student ID# and identify which of the 4 major options you are interested in (if you would like to pursue a minor, make sure to identify that as well). Once the Coordinator has created your "What-If AAR," you will receive an email at your UWW email address letting you know that your Liberal Studies “What-If AAR" is available to view in WINS. You'll need to log in to the WINS system, and navigate to your "Student Center" page. Once you are there, you will need to look in the dropdown menu under the "Academics" section, and you should be able to click through to view the report. The "What-If AAR" is unofficial, but it will give you an idea of where you stand with Liberal Studies requirements.
1E) Calculate how many semesters you have remaining before graduation by dividing the total the number of units remaining to be completed (as listed on your "What-If AAR") by the number of units you plan to take each semester. This will give you the number of semesters you will need to complete before graduation. Remember that all UW-Whitewater students must earn at least 120 units and fulfill all degree requirements in order to graduate.
Step 2: Decide if Liberal Studies is right for you.
Is Liberal Studies the best option for you right now? Will a degree in liberal studies help you graduate? Do you have the time and energy to commit to college-level academic work?
Is Liberal Studies the best option for meeting your post-graduation goals? Will a degree in liberal studies give you the skills and knowledge necessary for the career you want?
Step 3: Officially Declare the Liberal Studies Major.
To change your major, you will need to complete the Major/Minor Change Form. You will need a signature from the department of your previous major (or the AAEC if you were undeclared). Once completed, you should bring to the form to the Philosophy & Religious Studies Department Office in Laurentide 4205.
Step 4: Schedule an appointment with your advisor.
After you officially matriculate into the Liberal Studies Program, you will receive an email from the Department of Philosophy and Religions Studies. That email will include the name and contact information for your new advisor. You are then responsible for contacting your advsior to set up an advising appointment.
Step 5: Prepare for your first advising session.
5A) Be sure that all of your holds in WINS (with the exception of an Academic Advising hold which will remain until your advising session) are removed.
5B) Review your Academic Advising Report (AAR) in WINS. If you are unsure about how to do this, tutorials are available here.
5C) Use the course search feature in WINS and the Liberal Studies Course Offerings By Term spreadsheet to compile a list of courses you are interested in taking and which requirements you are planning for them to fulfill.
Step 6: Meet with your advisor.
At this meeting, you will talk to your advisor about personalizing your AAR, go over the list of courses you compiled, and decide which courses are best for you to take in the upcoming term. Then you are on your way to success in the Liberal Studies program!